Please receive the attached pdf file containing my appeal of the Senate-Sciences election administered by GSAED last week (March 19-21). My appeal is based on a fatal procedural error on the election ballot, which I called to your attention during the election period, and which was related to the large number (141) of spoiled ballots in the Senate elections compared to the vote margin between the other candidate (Matt Alteen) and I (2 vote difference).

I argue that the Senate cannot have confidence that this election was administered properly by GSAED or that the results can be deemed to be fair and in accordance with the Senate’s Policies and Regulations regarding elections of Senate members.

I ask for the Senate-Sciences election to be invalidated and entirely redone.

I have informed Mr. Alteen about my appeal, and I expect him to agree that the election must be invalidated and redone on the basis of this procedural error on the election ballot.

I have sent you my personal information (address, telephone number, and student number) in a separate e-mail for privacy reasons. This information is required by GSAED By-Law XXII upon appealing an election result.

After reviewing the appeal put forward by Joseph Hickey on March 25th regarding the Senate –Science elections and exercising my role as DGE, I have decided to re-contest the Senate – Science election from Tuesday April 3rd to Thursday April 5th.

I’ll be meeting with the Finance Commissioner later this afternoon to discuss budgetary matters pertaining to the election and will also discuss additional funding for this election. With new funding I will be able to make this election more accessible via having a poll set-up at RGN for one of the days. Otherwise, polling will be held at the GSAED office in Deja-Vu and, possibly, SITE.

This email is primarily to state my initial ruling, another informational document with full-details for candidates will be provided tomorrow. Also, following this email another 48 hour appeal period will open to appeal prior said ruling.

I have also cc’d the members of the election appeals committee of GSAED, the Deputy DGE as well as the President and Vice-President Governance of the University of Ottawa. This is to provide them with the information regarding the matter and also allow full-information disclosure so the University of Ottawa executive can exercise its authority pertaining to the election of student Senate representatives.

Joseph – With respect to my email contact, you are correct that the GSAED website does contain my personal email – my uOttawa address and NOT gmail for that matter – from my previous appointment as a councillor to the GSAED. However, I no longer hold this position and, therefore, it is still needed to be removed from the GSAED site. As a result, I’d appreciate all communications, as stated prior, to be directed towards this email account for privacy and logistical matters. I also want to have my personal email removed from all of your distribution lists.

Thank you for confirming that Senate-Sciences election will be redone.

I want to draw your attention to GSAED By-law XXII (10)(b) about “Voting” in elections administered by GSAED:

b. Voting shall take place over three consecutive days on the main campus. Voting shall also take place on at least two of these three days at the Roger Guindon campus. The CRO may also decide to permit voting by mail or electronic means. [emphasis added]

and to GSAED By-law XXII (10)(c):

c. Polling stations shall be open from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. each day of the general election or referendum. They shall be located at the Association office throughout the voting period, as well as at least three other locations determined by the CRO, after consultation with Council, including one polling station on the Roger Guindon campus. [emphasis added]

Please confirm that the re-election for the Senate-Sciences seat will conform to By-law XXII, and that there will be 1) A polling location at Roger-Guindon for two of the three days, and 2) two polling locations (other than the GSAED office) on the main campus (one of which most definitely must be SITE, given the Faculties implicated in this election).

If these By-laws are not followed, then the re-election will be fatally flawed, and I will be significantly disadvantaged, in part because I have dedicated rougly 30-50% of my campaigning time to the Roger-Guindon campus in the original election of March 19-21.

Sincerely,
Joseph Hickey

Cc: GSAED Council members, UofO VP Governance and President, concerned community members